The best parts of my father (in me)
October 15, 2023
“It’s [the solar eclipse] the end of one cycle and the start of a beginning of another.”
Victoriano Chin Huchim
(Maya healer, Campeche,Mexico)
While a nascent war raging between Israel and Palestine is distracting Americans from painful extending war in Ukraine and our chronic political infighting, people all over South America and the US have been wowed by the ring of fire solar eclipse. In truth, we all just want something to feel good about. Some solid peg to hang our hat on, that might assuage our free-floating anxiety.
I found that seasonal solace late this afternoon raking leaves. It was hard to stop even after the sun had gone down. The air is so lovely here in the Berkshires right now and the sounds and smells so familiar and settling.
I was always a little envious of the extreme joy and satisfaction my father found in his outdoor weekend projects. I can remember the smell of fresh air on his clothes and the utter look of contentment on his face when he’d put down his rake and stride through the doorway in anticipation a pleasant evening.
Of course he always found ways to bring us into the raking project with giant piles of leaves to jump in—the bribe to ensure we would eventually help haul the leaves away to the woods.
Today I’m the father (and mother) of my own household and I love it! From home repairs to rescuing garter snakes from my basement, I am the husband of my very own home and I’m taking immense pride in maintaining and caring for it.
Even though the landscape crew would happily take care of the leaves, I’ve been out there raking leaves each weekend. I rationalize it’s good to save some money by doing it myself, but really it’s the excuse to work outside in the beautiful crisp air that entices me out there. Of course there’s that even greater feeling of coming inside to make a fire in the fireplace with that fresh autumnal contentment having permeated every single cell. It’s the kind of satiation that is tough to beat.
Working outdoors in the fall is a beautiful way to usher in the seasonal change and to brave the unknown territory of still more things beyond our control. Yet if the Mayan healer is right about the ring of fire solar eclipse, you and I just might be on the cusp of a new and necessary cycle on the personal level and beyond.
🍁